FaceTime is one of Apple’s new features for iPhone 4 that supports video chatting with other iPhone 4 users (if you’re both using a Wi-Fi connection). The iPhone 4 has a new camera in the front so you can see who you are talking to (and they can see you). Get a tissue box ready and watch one of the ads:

Click here to view the embedded video.

When I was a kid, I was an avid reader of the Sunday comics section of The Boston Globe. The Sunday comics were in color and also had exclusive games and questions for kids. One Sunday, I replied to the question “what do you think will be invented by the year 2000?” I answered “phones that you can see who you are talking to” and my name and answer was published the following week (this was a big deal to a kid from Massachusetts!). Little did I know back then that the feature wouldn’t be in demand until the year 2010 and with the iPhone.

One thing that Apple has done well with the iPhone is communicate its value through ads.  They first marketed the iPhone as a do-everything device and showcased different features like YouTube. Beginning in April 2009 they focused on apps, and now they are focusing on FaceTime. All of their ads have made the iPhone look very easy to use.

In the field of user experience (UX), emotion is now seen as a critical element. The release of Patrick Jordan’s Designing Pleasurable Products in 2002 and Don Norman’s Emotional Design in 2003 triggered wide understanding that usability is not the only thing that matters. An easy to use product does not necessarily mean it’s enjoyable to use.

Apple understands that there is value in communicating that its products are enjoyable to use. For example, think about their iPod campaign with silhouettes dancing in front of multi-colored backgrounds with upbeat music.

The FaceTime ads are full of people smiling, laughing, and sharing important moments. The ads make it look like you need to own the device. They use emotion as a persuasion. And that’s why they’re brilliant.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I am not sure whether Apple knew about this issue beforehand or not, but it demonstrates the importance of testing before release. Here’s a great quote I saw this morning on Twitter:

“A usability test is going to happen before or after you launch. The question is whether you want to be there or not.” - tsharon

Source: YouTube via Laughing Squid

For those of you who don’t know already, Prezi is a fun and unique alternative to PowerPoint.  It does away with the concept of “slides” and has helped us find interesting ways to share the “big picture” during our presentations, especially when we are speaking in front of larger groups.  It is a relatively new tool for our team, but we have found that it gives us a little edge that helps to set our work apart. We hope it will do the same for you!

Zomm has created a keychain fob that’s a Bluetooth accessory for your phone. It pairs with your mobile phone, and then it beeps if it gets more than 50 yards away from your phone, to help you remember to take your phone with  you.  It also doubles as a personal alarm and way to talk to emergency personnel. The folks at CES also thought it was cool, they awarded it “The Best of Innovations” Award. This is a great example of design to avoid mistakes. For many of us it’s pretty difficult to leave home without keys because we have to lock the front door and start the car, but it’s much easier to forget your phone at home or on a table at a restaurant. With Zomm, as long as you have your keys, you’ll remember your phone.  If you keep your phone in your purse it can help you remember both, but if you forget your keys too you’re completely stuck.

If you haven’t heard, the entire surface of the Magic Mouse is touch-sensitive, and the mouse supports several touch gestures for interacting with your computer. So head on over to our other blog, TouchThinking, and read all about it!

TouchThinking is a gestural interfaces blog that members of the International Usability Partners contribute to (including us, HumanCentric).

There are two big cellphone trends right now: touchscreen smartphones and dirt-cheap Earth-friendly cell phones. Both of these trends are great; one is pushing the limits of the mobile experience and the other is encouraging responsible manufacturing practices. Both are appealing, but generally the Earth-friendly phones do not have as many features and their user interfaces look like they were designed in the 90s.

My new iPhone 3GS was delivered to the office Friday (June 19th) around lunchtime. It’s shiny, has an internal compass, voice commands, video recording, and is very fast. But, it’s not perfect. After all, it doesn’t have a solar panel on the back of it like the Samsung Crest E1107. And, it isn’t 100% recyclable and made of recycled water bottles like the Motorola Renew W233.

That’s not to say that Apple is ignoring environmental issues. The iPhone 3GS has smaller packaging and doesn’t contain chemicals like mercury, arsenic, PVC, and BFR. The major environmental flaw of the iPhone is that the user cannot replace the battery. By not having a user-replaceable battery in iPhones or iPods, Apple is encouraging them to be thrown in the trash. In response to this concern, Apple started their iPod recycling program (which works with iPhones too).

It’s only a matter of time before recyclable smartphones made of recycled material hit the market. If the next iPhone has a solar panel, I’ll be first in line.